May 18, 2005

FBQ #18 Mark Nobilette

Coming up under the watchful eye of a legend, today's featured builder, Mark Nobilette, has achieved Master Status in his own right.Nobilette turns out cycles that flare with Zen-like "Simplexity" (the ability to bring forth in one's craft functional Simplicity but only first through years of Complex work/thought/study). Mark Nobilette in his own words...

11. What job(s) did you have before frame building and also-do you have any other job currently besides frame building?

Warehouse work, paper delivery, and bike shops.

12. When did you start building?

Started building frames in 1973, Eisentraut frame class.

13. Who would you say is your greatest influence in designing & frame building?

Albert Eisentraut.

14. Did you apprentice... if so, with who?

Yes, with Albert Eisentraut.

15. What's your idea of the "perfect cycle" regardless if you built it or not?

One that you want to look at, and rides great.

16. Shooting a guess... how many frames would you say you've built?

Around 2000.

17. Any cycles out there that you secretly wished, "Darn, I wish I'd built that!"?

Not really, maybe some components though.

18. Your idea of the perfect client?

A happy one that only calls or comes by a couple times for each frame ordered.

19. What defines a nightmare client in your experience?

Any unhappy customer, very rare.

20. Any words of advice to up & coming frame builders?

Yeah, don't quit your day job.

21. What do you find most funny or peculiar (in a kind way-not brutal) about the cycle-buying public... what don't they get or aren't they seeing?

Most don't appreciate quality. Still too hung up on weight.

22. What do you think of mass-produced bikes (without naming names)?

They're great if they get people riding.

23. What cycle don't you have anymore that you wished you did?

The Eisentraut I built when I was with him.

24. What cycle do you currently ride most, even if it wasn't built by you?

I ride my current Nobilette road bike.

25. When did you last ride your bike and for how far?

Two days ago, 30 miles.

26. What's your idea of the perfect ride?

Lots of tree-lined winding roads, no traffic or wind (maybe tailwind), in the mountains with no sore ass.

27. Could you ever see yourself being Car Free... just using mass-transportation and your bike to get around?

Did it for a couple years in my early Twenties. I could do it again. Might have to if gas keeps going up.

28. Why do you think so many folks have romanticized bicycles & bicycling?

Because it’s the best sport/recreation there is.

29. Any (other) passions or hobbies in your life?

Jazz and machinery.

30. If you could say one thing to Lance Armstrong what would it be?

Thanks for doing a lot for Cancer research.

31. In a pinch... McDonalds or Burger King?

King over the club.

32. What kind of shampoo did you last use?

The soapy kind.

33. Favorite libation: wine, beer or fire water?

Suds.34. Even though there seems to be a real tradition to it-what do you think of folks who spend more time setting up their cycle with just the right color saddle, bar tape, bags, hoods, etc than actually riding or at least commenting on the ride?

I have to wonder if they like to ride.

35. Did you go to college... if so, what was your major?

Yes, Engineering.

36. Your favorite music while working (if any)?

Jazz and Jazz Fusion.

37. If you had it to do all over again... would you be building cycles?

Probably. At least part time. I love building. It would be nice to make some real money though.

38. What's your favorite lunch food during a work day in the shop?

Mexican or Thai. Dosen't happen very often though.

39. When it's all said & done-what kind of legacy will you hope to have left behind?

Comments

I remember the first time I saw one of Mark's bikes, under a tall rider from Ann Arbor. Such a gorgeous thing; no one does prettier lugwork. He's the only builder who's likely to break my Assenmacher habit.

I still have close-up lug photos of a Nobilette frame I saw fresh from the painter. The reason I took the shots was because the frame was a prime example of assymetric lug carving. I can't recall a better result in that effort from any other framebuilder's work I've seen. I'm thinking it's the influence of Chris's jazz aesthetic; individuality within group coherence, or something lke that.

Great Interviwes - I can speak to Mark Nobilette's superb quality of workmanship. I have the good fortune to own one of his frames and suspect one of the few in New Hampshire. I picked the new frame up on ebay and haven't looked back. I only wish I could have purchased this from Mark instead of a third party. When the ebay add appeared I googled then emailed Mark about the add and he answered all my concerns and even explained how the frame made it to ebay in the first place. All of this and it wasn't his add. The bike is a Tig Weld steel road frame using 853 tubes. The smoothest riding bike I've owned, and at 57, I've owned too many to count, however, my wife feels the current collection of 6 in the garage/shed/basement are too many for her liking. I ride the Nobilette 95% and a Trek 520 (fendered) in the rain. Mark deserves serious consideration for those in the market.